Canada’s EAs take on increased responsibilities

News reaches PA Life from across the Atlantic that in addition to the number of EAs in Canada rising at an impressive rate, assistants in the country are taking on greater responsibilities than ever before. Calgary, Alberta-based Pamela Roberts, who has been in support roles for 20 years, says the job is a lot different than it used to be.

Pamela says the role now requires more education and experience because bosses no longer have the time to do their job without support. They’re looking for assistants who have a high level of productivity, are open to taking on greater responsibility and can manage their schedules and deal with requests effectively.

According to Statistics Canada, the number of EAs across the country grew from 42,200 in 2012 to 46,900 last year. The growing need for assistants is most likely due to the country’s healthy economy, which has resulted in a rise in the number of successful executives.

Calgary-based recruitment specialist Toombs agrees that the role of the PA has become increasingly crucial, saying administrators are now considered to be the glue that holds an organisation together. Meanwhile, Pamela believes that “every EA has the ability to make their career extraordinary”.

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